Nevada Concrete Contractor (C-5) Exam - Online Exam Prep

Prepare for the Nevada Concrete Contractor (C-5) examination with an online exam prep course designed around the technical subjects, approved references, and concrete-construction knowledge associated with this Nevada specialty contractor classification. The course provides a structured way to review concrete construction, formwork, reinforcing steel, earthwork, concrete cutting, construction safety, and code-navigation skills for the C-5 trade examination.

The Nevada C-5 Concrete Contractor classification is regulated by the Nevada State Contractors Board. The classification covers surface preparation, placement of reinforcing steel and other embedded materials essential to concrete construction, pouring and placing concrete, finishing and installing concrete, construction of forms and molds, application of concrete sealants and waterproofing products, and sawing, cutting, drilling, and coring concrete and asphaltic paving material.

The C-5 examination requires candidates to combine practical trade knowledge with efficient use of approved code references. Concrete, Concrete-Formwork, Concrete-Reinforcement, Concrete Cutting, Concrete-Earthwork, and Safety are all represented on the examination. Candidates should prepare across the complete content outline rather than concentrating only on general concrete placement and finishing.

The technical preparation references include the International Building Code, 2018 and ACI 318-14: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary. These references are approved for use inside the C-5 trade examination. Candidates should become comfortable navigating both references so code-based questions can be researched efficiently during the timed exam.

Additional study references include Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA); SP-4 Formwork for Concrete, 2014, 8th Edition; The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, 4th Edition; Pipe and Excavation Contracting; Sawcutting Joints in Concrete by Bruce A. Suprenant, 1995; Sawcutting Concrete Flatwork by Rosalie Johnston, 1994; Taking the Tedium Out of Cutting, 1981; and Tips for Cutting Concrete, 1987.

These additional technical books are study materials and are not allowed into the C-5 examination room. Online preparation therefore focuses on building enough familiarity with formwork, earthwork, safety, practical concrete construction, and cutting procedures to answer questions without those books while developing navigation skills with the International Building Code and ACI 318.

Exam Details

The Nevada C-5 Concrete Contractor trade examination is administered through PSI for applicants who have received examination eligibility through the Nevada State Contractors Board.

• Exam: Nevada C-5 Concrete Contractor
• Number of Questions: 60
• Time Allowed: 2 hours
• Minimum Passing Score: 42 correct answers
• Testing Provider: PSI

The C-5 examination content is divided into six major areas:

• Safety: 6 questions
• Concrete-Earthwork: 7 questions
• Concrete: 15 questions
• Concrete-Reinforcement: 10 questions
• Concrete-Formwork: 12 questions
• Concrete Cutting: 10 questions

Concrete is the largest individual examination category with 15 questions. Candidates should review concrete materials, placement, finishing, curing, joints, quality considerations, field procedures, and the principles that influence successful concrete construction.

Concrete-Formwork contains 12 questions and represents another major part of the examination. Candidates should understand form construction, form materials, bracing, shores, supports, form pressure, assembly, stripping, and safe work practices associated with concrete formwork.

Concrete-Reinforcement contains 10 questions. Preparation should include reinforcing steel, placement, spacing, support, concrete cover, embedded materials, structural requirements, and the use of ACI 318 when researching reinforcement-related code questions.

Concrete Cutting also contributes 10 questions. Candidates should prepare for sawcutting, joint cutting, concrete flatwork cutting, drilling, coring, cutting equipment, blade-related concepts, timing of sawcuts, and practical techniques used to cut hardened and newly placed concrete.

Concrete-Earthwork includes seven questions. This category can involve excavation, trenching, grading, compaction, subgrade preparation, soil conditions, and site preparation associated with concrete construction.

Safety accounts for six questions. Candidates should review construction safety involving personal protective equipment, excavation hazards, tools, equipment, material handling, fall hazards, and other OSHA-related conditions encountered on concrete projects.

Open Book Test

The Nevada C-5 Concrete Contractor examination is an open-book test, but only approved references may be brought into the examination center.

The approved exam-room references included in this preparation are:

• International Building Code, 2018
• ACI 318-14: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary

The International Building Code supports preparation involving building requirements, foundations, structural provisions, materials, concrete-related construction, and other code topics relevant to the C-5 classification. Candidates should practice using the index, chapter structure, sections, tables, and cross-references before examination day.

ACI 318-14 is an important structural concrete reference. It supports preparation involving concrete materials, reinforcement, cover, placement, development concepts, structural provisions, and other requirements that can appear in the C-5 examination.

Approved examination references may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination. Permanent tabs are permitted. Temporary removable tabs such as Post-it notes are not allowed. Candidate-added writing and loose papers are not permitted in approved exam-room references.

The remaining technical references are study materials and are not allowed into the C-5 examination room. These include OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926, SP-4 Formwork for Concrete, The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, Pipe and Excavation Contracting, and the listed concrete-cutting publications.

Candidates should use the study-only references to build trade knowledge that can be recalled and applied during the exam. Formwork methods, excavation practices, concrete quality, safety, and concrete-cutting techniques should be studied in advance rather than treated as information that can be looked up during testing.

Open-book testing rewards familiarity with the approved references. With 60 questions and two hours available, candidates benefit from knowing when to use the International Building Code or ACI 318 and when to answer directly from trade knowledge.

Licensing Steps

The Nevada State Contractors Board regulates the C-5 Concrete Contractor classification. Applicants must satisfy the applicable experience, application, examination, financial, background, and final licensing requirements.

1. Confirm the C-5 classification. Determine that the Concrete Contractor classification matches the type of contracting work the business intends to perform.
2. Identify the qualifying individual. The contractor applicant must designate a person who meets the experience and trade qualification requirements for the C-5 classification.
3. Document qualifying experience. Prepare acceptable records showing relevant experience in concrete construction and related work.
4. Submit the Nevada contractor license application. Provide the required business, qualifier, financial, and supporting information to the Nevada State Contractors Board.
5. Complete applicable fingerprint and background requirements. Follow the background procedures required as part of Nevada contractor licensing.
6. Provide financial documentation. Nevada evaluates financial responsibility as part of licensing and when establishing the monetary limit associated with the contractor license.
7. Receive examination eligibility. After the Board reviews the application and qualifications, eligible candidates may proceed with testing.
8. Schedule the C-5 examination through PSI. Arrange the trade exam after receiving authorization.
9. Prepare for the technical exam. Study Concrete, Formwork, Reinforcement, Concrete Cutting, Earthwork, Safety, and approved reference navigation.
10. Complete the Contractor Management Survey requirement. Nevada contractor applicants generally must also satisfy the Business and Law examination requirement unless an applicable waiver applies.
11. Complete final licensing requirements. Address applicable bond, financial, and other requirements before the contractor license is issued.

State Requirements

The Nevada C-5 Concrete Contractor classification authorizes a broad range of concrete-related work. The scope includes preparing surfaces and placing reinforcing steel and other embedded materials that are essential to or form an integral part of concrete construction.

The classification also includes pouring, placing, finishing, and installing concrete. Candidates preparing for the license should therefore understand both the practical sequence of concrete work and the technical requirements that affect placement, reinforcement, curing, joints, and finishing.

A C-5 contractor may construct and assemble forms, molds, slipforms, and pans. Formwork is a significant part of the classification and is reflected by the 12 Concrete-Formwork questions on the examination.

The classification also includes applying concrete sealants and waterproofing products. Surface preparation, durability, moisture control, and protection of completed concrete can therefore be relevant to the contractor's work.

Sawing, cutting, drilling, and coring concrete and asphaltic paving material are also included within the C-5 scope. The examination devotes 10 questions to Concrete Cutting, making this area an important component of preparation.

For the standard Nevada contractor licensing pathway, the qualifying individual generally must establish four years of qualifying experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee, or contractor in the requested classification within the applicable period preceding the application.

Nevada contractor applicants must also address financial responsibility, background requirements, the monetary limit associated with the license, and applicable bonding before final license issuance. The required trade and management qualification requirements must also be completed unless an approved waiver applies.

Reference Books

• International Building Code, 2018
  This approved exam-room reference supports preparation involving building-code requirements, foundations, structural provisions, concrete construction, materials, and related code topics relevant to Nevada C-5 work.
• ACI 318-14: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary
  This approved exam-room reference supports structural concrete preparation involving reinforcement, concrete materials, cover, placement, development concepts, and related concrete-code requirements.
• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  This study reference supports construction-safety preparation involving personal protective equipment, excavation, tools, equipment, fall hazards, material handling, and other jobsite safety requirements. This book is not allowed into the C-5 examination.
• SP-4 Formwork for Concrete, 2014, 8th Edition
  This study reference supports preparation involving formwork systems, form materials, shores, bracing, form pressure, construction methods, stripping, and safe formwork procedures. This book is not allowed into the C-5 examination.
• The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction - 4th Edition
  This study reference supports practical concrete preparation involving materials, placement, finishing, curing, quality considerations, and accepted field practices. This book is not allowed into the C-5 examination.
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting
  This study reference supports earthwork preparation involving excavation, trenching, grading, compaction, subgrade preparation, and related field practices. This book is not allowed into the C-5 examination.
• Sawcutting Joints in Concrete, Bruce A. Suprenant, 1995
  This study material supports preparation involving sawcut joints, timing, equipment, joint construction, and concrete-cutting practices. It is not allowed into the C-5 examination.
• Sawcutting Concrete Flatwork, Rosalie Johnston, 1994
  This study material supports preparation involving flatwork sawcutting, equipment use, cutting methods, and practical field procedures. It is not allowed into the C-5 examination.
• Taking the Tedium Out of Cutting, 1981
  This study material supports review of concrete-cutting methods, equipment, work practices, and cutting productivity concepts. It is not allowed into the C-5 examination.
• Tips for Cutting Concrete, 1987
  This study material supports concrete-cutting preparation involving field techniques, equipment considerations, and practical cutting methods. It is not allowed into the C-5 examination.

Test Information and Study Materials

A productive Nevada C-5 study plan should follow the examination weighting and separate the material into manageable technical areas. Concrete and Formwork account for 27 of the 60 questions, making these two subjects especially important.

Prioritize general concrete knowledge. Concrete contains 15 questions. Review concrete materials, placement, finishing, curing, joints, field practices, quality considerations, and common concrete-construction procedures.

Give formwork substantial study time. Concrete-Formwork contains 12 questions. Review form materials, shores, supports, bracing, form pressure, assembly, stripping, and safe formwork practices using SP-4 Formwork for Concrete.

Study reinforcement with ACI 318. Concrete-Reinforcement contains 10 questions. Review reinforcement placement, cover, spacing, supports, embedded items, and other structural concrete provisions. Practice locating reinforcement requirements in ACI 318-14.

Prepare specifically for Concrete Cutting. This category contains 10 questions. Study sawcutting, joints, flatwork cutting, timing, equipment, drilling, coring, and practical cutting procedures using the specialized cutting references.

Review Concrete-Earthwork. Earthwork contains seven questions. Study excavation, trenching, grading, subgrades, compaction, site preparation, and conditions that can affect concrete placement and performance.

Prepare for OSHA safety. Safety contains six questions. Review personal protective equipment, excavation hazards, tools, machinery, material handling, fall protection, and other construction-site risks. OSHA is not available in the examination room, so candidates should learn these concepts before testing.

Practice with the approved code books. Use the International Building Code and ACI 318 regularly so their organization becomes familiar. Practice locating sections under time limits rather than relying on broad searches.

Use study-only references for understanding. The formwork, concrete-quality, earthwork, OSHA, and concrete-cutting references should be used to develop technical knowledge that can be recalled without the books during the examination.

Practice under timed conditions. Candidates have two hours for 60 questions. Timed practice helps build pacing and encourages efficient decisions about whether a question requires an approved reference lookup or can be answered directly from trade knowledge.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep supports Nevada Concrete Contractor candidates through organized study guidance, concrete trade-focused review, practice-oriented preparation, approved reference navigation, and confidence-building study structure.

The C-5 examination covers several distinct areas of concrete construction, and structured online preparation helps candidates break the material into focused sections. Concrete, Formwork, Reinforcement, Cutting, Earthwork, and Safety can each receive dedicated study time instead of being treated as one broad topic.

Trade-focused review reinforces concrete materials, placement, curing, finishing, reinforcement, formwork, excavation, cutting procedures, and safety. This gives candidates a study structure tied directly to the work represented in the C-5 examination.

Practice-oriented preparation helps candidates apply what they study through exam-style questions. Missed questions can identify specific areas that need more attention, allowing candidates to direct study time toward weak categories instead of repeatedly reviewing familiar material.

Reference-navigation practice focuses on the International Building Code and ACI 318 because these are the approved technical references available during the examination. Becoming familiar with their organization before test day can help candidates locate applicable requirements more efficiently.

The study-only references support technical knowledge that must be developed before testing. OSHA safety, formwork, practical concrete construction, excavation, and concrete-cutting materials can be used to build familiarity with concepts that will not be available for lookup in the examination room.

Online preparation also allows candidates to revisit difficult topics, repeat practice questions, and build a consistent study routine around work and personal schedules. Candidates can focus additional review on Formwork, Reinforcement, Cutting, or Earthwork depending on their individual needs.

By combining organized online preparation, concrete-focused trade review, exam-style practice, and approved code-reference navigation, 1 Exam Prep provides a structured preparation path for professionals pursuing the Nevada C-5 Concrete Contractor license.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Nevada C-5 Concrete Contractor exam open book?

Yes. The C-5 trade examination is open book with specific approved references permitted in the examination center.

Which books are allowed into the Nevada C-5 exam?

The approved exam-room references included in this preparation are the International Building Code, 2018 and ACI 318-14: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary.

Which books are not allowed into the C-5 examination?

OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926, SP-4 Formwork for Concrete, The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, Pipe and Excavation Contracting, and the listed concrete-cutting materials are study references and are not permitted in the C-5 trade examination.

How many questions are on the Nevada C-5 exam?

The Nevada C-5 Concrete Contractor examination contains 60 questions.

How much time is allowed for the C-5 examination?

Candidates have two hours to complete the 60-question trade examination.

What score is required to pass?

The minimum passing score is 42 correct answers out of 60 questions.

What is the largest section of the Nevada C-5 exam?

Concrete is the largest category with 15 questions. Concrete-Formwork is the second-largest category with 12 questions.

Does the C-5 exam include formwork?

Yes. Concrete-Formwork contains 12 questions and is one of the largest sections of the examination.

Does the C-5 examination include concrete cutting?

Yes. Concrete Cutting contains 10 questions and covers an important part of the Nevada C-5 classification.

Does the exam include reinforcing steel?

Yes. Concrete-Reinforcement contains 10 questions and includes preparation involving reinforcement placement and structural concrete requirements.

What work does the Nevada C-5 classification cover?

The classification includes surface preparation, reinforcing steel and embedded materials, concrete placement and finishing, forms and molds, concrete sealants and waterproofing products, and sawing, cutting, drilling, and coring concrete and asphaltic paving material.

Does Nevada require a Business and Law examination?

Nevada contractor applicants generally must also satisfy the Contractor Management Survey Business and Law requirement unless an applicable waiver is approved.

Why should I practice using ACI 318 before the exam?

ACI 318-14 is an approved exam-room reference and supports reinforcement and structural concrete topics. Familiarity with its organization can make code lookups more efficient during testing.

How should I study the books that are not allowed into the exam?

Use the study-only references to build understanding and recall before test day. Focus on formwork, earthwork, safety, concrete quality, cutting procedures, and practical trade knowledge that can be applied without consulting those books during the examination.